By VDC staff

An Essex Junction man has been charged with lewd and lascivious conduct involving a juvenile, a search continued for a missing fisherman in Lake Champlain, Vermont State Police are investigating a bullet found in a Wardsboro home window, and a Montpelier man faces new retail theft charges.

Essex Junction man charged with lewd and lascivious conduct

Kipp Youngman, 57, of Essex Junction, has been charged with lewd and lascivious conduct following an investigation into inappropriate physical contact with a 17-year-old girl in Grand Isle.

The Vermont State Police Northwest Unit for Special Investigations was notified Oct. 19 of an incident that reportedly occurred Oct. 10 on Island Meadows Lane in Grand Isle.

Detectives investigated and determined there was probable cause to charge Youngman with making inappropriate physical contact with the juvenile.

Youngman was arrested Nov. 6 and released with a citation to appear in Grand Isle County Superior Court Criminal Division on Jan. 7, 2027, at 9:15 AM.

Search continues for missing fisherman in Lake Champlain

Vermont State Police divers were unsuccessful Sunday in their search for a 48-year-old Burlington man who reportedly fell overboard while fishing in Kingsland Bay on Lake Champlain.

Vermont News First reported that the man went overboard from a small boat about 4 PM Saturday while fishing with a friend. His name had not been released as of Sunday.

The man’s companion told police he was not wearing a life jacket when he fell into the water. The friend attempted to search for him, but the man did not resurface.

More than a half dozen Vermont State Police divers searched Sunday using sonar equipment. The initial report indicated the water was about 35 feet deep, but divers determined the depth at the search location was closer to 135 feet.

Lt. Charles Winn, commander of the State Police dive team, said the search continued throughout the day and ended about 4:45 PM, shortly after sunset.

A U.S. Border Patrol aircraft also assisted. The U.S. Coast Guard out of Burlington and area volunteer fire and rescue units joined the effort.

The dive team planned to resume the search Monday morning, operating out of Point Bay Marina in Charlotte.

Bullet found in Wardsboro home window

Vermont State Police are asking for public assistance in an investigation after a bullet was discovered in a window at a residence on Fornuto Road in Wardsboro.

Troopers were notified of the discovery at about 3:40 PM Nov. 4. Investigators said it is unknown when the bullet struck the window.

Evidence at the scene indicates the round may have been fired from a significant distance away.

The investigation into possible reckless endangerment and unlawful mischief remains active.

Anyone with information about who may have fired the weapon is asked to contact Trooper Karson Kruger at the Westminster Barracks at 802-722-4600 or Karson.Kruger@vermont.gov.

Anonymous tips may be submitted through the Vermont State Police tip submission page or by texting VTIPS to 274637.

Montpelier transient arrested in Shaw’s retail theft

A 36-year-old transient man from Montpelier was arrested Nov. 8 after Berlin police encountered him at Shaw’s Supermarket on Paine Turnpike North.

Police identified the man as Santos DeJesus. During the encounter, dispatch confirmed two outstanding arrest warrants issued Nov. 5, one for retail theft and another for unlawful trespass. Each warrant carried $1,000 bail.

Officers also determined that DeJesus had left the supermarket with a handbasket containing merchandise he had not paid for.

He was taken into custody and transported to the Berlin Police Department for processing.

After consulting with the on-call State’s Attorney, officers obtained judicial authorization to modify the outstanding warrants, allowing DeJesus to be cited and released.

He was issued a citation to appear in Vermont Superior Court Criminal Division on Nov. 9 at 12:30 PM in connection with the outstanding warrants and additional charges of possession of regulated drugs and retail theft.